Name: Turkey with Sage Butter and Roasted Garlic Gravy
Cook time: P0Y0M0DT1H0M0.000S
Total time: P0Y0M0DT4H30M0.000S
Yield: 8 to 10 servings
Ingredients: 2 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, softened; 1 cup fresh sage leaves, roughly chopped, stems reserved; 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest, plus 1/2 lemon; Kosher salt; 1 12- to 14-pound turkey, thawed if frozen (giblets removed, neck reserved); 1 large onion, roughly chopped; 2 carrots, roughly chopped; 2 stalks celery, roughly chopped; 2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons vegetable oil; Freshly ground pepper; 2 heads garlic, 1 halved crosswise, 1 trimmed to expose the cloves; 8 cups low-sodium chicken broth; 4 thyme sprigs; 2 bay leaves (preferably fresh); 1/2 cup all-purpose flour

Directions

Remove all but the lowest oven rack and preheat to 325 degrees F. Combine 2 sticks butter, the sage, lemon zest and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a food processor and process until smooth; set aside. Remove the wings from the turkey; chop the wings and neck. Combine with the onion, carrots and celery in a large heavy-duty roasting pan. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, toss and spread out evenly.
Season the turkey inside and out with salt and pepper. Put the sage stems, lemon half and garlic halves inside the cavity. Carefully loosen the skin from the breasts and thighs with your fingers; rub half of the sage butter under the skin. Transfer the remaining butter to a small saucepan; set aside. Set a rack in the roasting pan and transfer the turkey to the rack, breast-side up. Put the trimmed garlic on a sheet of foil, drizzle with the remaining 2 teaspoons oil and wrap.
Transfer the roasting pan and foil-wrapped garlic to the oven. Roast, rotating the pan every 30 minutes, until the turkey is browned and crisp and a thermometer inserted into the thigh registers 165 degrees F, 21/2 hours to 2 hours 45 minutes; after 1 hour, melt the reserved sage butter over low heat, then brush half of it over the turkey. Check the garlic after 11/2 hours; when it’s completely soft, remove and set aside.
Once the turkey is cooked, lift the rack from the roasting pan and set over a rimmed baking sheet; let rest at least 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, make the gravy: Place the roasting pan on 2 stove burners over medium heat. Add 2 cups water, bring to a simmer and cook, scraping the bits from the pan, until reduced by half, 5 to 7 minutes; transfer to a large pot. Add the broth, thyme and bay leaves, bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook until reduced by one-third, about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, squeeze the roasted garlic from the skins into a bowl; stir in the remaining 4 tablespoons butter and the flour to make a paste. Once the broth has reduced by one-third, add the garlic-butter mixture and cook, whisking constantly, until the gravy is thickened, 6 to 8 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Pour through a fine-mesh strainer set over a medium saucepan.
At this point, you can serve the turkey and gravy, or you can carve the bird and store it in the refrigerator for up to 2 days along with the gravy. To store, first cut the breasts off the carcass. Cut off the leg quarters and separate the drumsticks from the thighs. Put the breasts in a 9-by-13-inch baking dish, skin-side up; put the drumsticks and thighs in another. Brush the skin with the remaining sage butter. Cover each baking dish and refrigerate. For the gravy, let cool completely, then transfer to a container and refrigerate.
To reheat: Bring the turkey to room temperature, 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Warm the gravy in a saucepan over medium heat until simmering; ladle 1 cup over each baking dish, cover with foil and bake until heated through, 35 to 40 minutes. Remove from the oven; let rest 10 minutes.
Remove the bones from the thighs, then slice the thighs and arrange on a serving platter with the drumsticks. Slice the breasts; transfer to the platter. Strain the gravy from the baking dishes back into the saucepan and bring to a simmer; spoon over the turkey. Serve the remaining gravy on the side.

Cook’s Note

Make-Ahead Plan: You can roast the turkey and make the gravy up to 2 days ahead; cut the bird into parts and refrigerate. Reheat the turkey in a baking dish with some gravy in a 325 degrees F oven.